IndyBlog

Art on the Streets 2015 announced

If you've been downtown in the past two weeks, you've no doubt seen changes afoot: Art on the Streets 2015 has arrived. Some of the works are still in the progress of going up, but many are on view right now.

Watch for further coverage of this year's AotS in an upcoming issue of the Indy, and mark your calendar for the kick-off event happening Thurs., June 18 at the City Auditorium.

Without further ado, here's the info:

Colorado Springs, CO – Downtown Colorado Springs and Downtown Ventures are pleased to announce the selection of artists for the 2015-2016 Art on the Streets juried sculpture exhibition. Now in its 17th year, Art on the Streets celebrates the power of art in public places, while turning the streets of Downtown Colorado Springs, a Colorado Certified Creative District, into a yearlong outdoor sculpture gallery.

A national call for artists attracted 73 proposals from artists in 19 states and 18 Colorado cities. Artists were selected through a jury process in which artistic quality served as the primary criteria. This year’s jury included David Tryba, Founder of Tryba Architects; Andrew Tirado, local artist and recipient of the 2014-2015 Juror Award; Blake Milteer, Museum Director and Chief Curator for the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center; and Daisy McConnell, Director of University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Galleries of Contemporary Art.

Selected artists each receive a $1,000 honorarium. In addition, artists are eligible for a $10,000 Juror Award and a $1,000 People’s Choice Award.

The 2015-2016 exhibit will be on display June 2015 through May 2016 throughout Downtown Colorado Springs. The thirteen artists/artist teams selected for the exhibit are:

Art on the Streets is a program of the Downtown Partnership of Colorado Springs, through Downtown Ventures, Inc. The program is supported by private contributions, including founding sponsor U.S. Bank, with additional support from H.Chase Stone Trust, Nor’wood, Murphy Constructors, CALM Foundation, Colorado Creative Industries, and Boettcher Foundation. Through the 17 years of the program, Art on the Streets has exhibited more than 50 works of art downtown, and purchased several pieces now permanently on display. All of the artwork in the exhibit is for sale, and purchase inquiries are welcome. Additional information can be found at www.DowntownCS.com/AOTS.

Information about the individual artists and works follows:

James BurnesNine Piece Rings
Reclaimed wood and steel
Santa Fe, NM
James Burnes brings a sense of primitivism to his works combining wood and steel. A juxtaposition of the natural elements of earth with modern manmade steel explores the relationship between the two, and offers us a chance to reflect on mankind’s relationship with nature in our contemporary urban world. Price to Purchase: $12,500.

“I am drawn to the tension between what is natural and organic, between man and nature, and between time and decay.”

Jimmy DescantChief Eye-Heart-Gut, Archer of the West
Found object assemblage
Salida, CO
A self-taught sculptor identifying as a “Severe Reconstructivist”, Jimmy Descant creates works that are inspired by Western imagery and heart. In this piece, the Archer with three arrows, one each in touch with his eye, heart and gut, creates a representation of “strength in the ascending future”, while wearing a headdress of repurposed steam irons. www.deluxewest.com
Price to Purchase: $10,000

“I am a professional in acquiring the vintage and beautiful, treasures of the golden age of American manufacturing found at thrift stores and flea markets.”

Steven DurowMy Other Half
Steel and glass
Fruitland, MD
Inspired by architectural columns and dancers in motion, Steven Durow’s work features a pair of inverse images in bright complementary colors, evoking a playful feeling. Much like dance partners, neither of the forms would be complete without its mate. Price to Purchase: $60,000

“My Other Half was inspired by personal experience, and the ways in which two people join and become complete only when paired with the Other Half.”

Maureen HeartySound Fountain
Steel and aluminum
Denver, CO
Working primarily in reclaimed steel, Maureen Hearty’s sculptures rethink the fate of what is typically regarded as industry waste. A musically interactive piece, Sound Fountain imitates the flow of water in a fountain, with movement and flow symbolized through sound. Price to Purchase: $6,000

“I am constantly exploring new applications for our connectedness to each other, our habitats and who we share our world with—my work invites viewers to engage with their surroundings in a less passive way.”

Yul JorgensenRegenesis
Recycled farm equipment and scrap metal
Walsenburg, CO
Yul Jorgenson’s interest in sustainable agriculture influences his work in this piece, a shaded picnic area made from locally sourced scraps and farm equipment. Interactive and kinetic, Regnesis includes a hand-crank spinning display and informational plaques about local farms. Price to Purchase: $10,000

“I have found a passion with helping my community through my work. This piece expresses a call to the new generations of the local farm to table movement.”

Angela LarianEncounter
Concrete and metal
Los Angeles, CA
With a portfolio that focuses primarily on large-scale abstract figurative work, Angela Larian investigates concepts such as metaphor and mysticism. Her work is inspired by the philosophies of Plato, Carl Jung, and Nietzsche, and the poetry of Rumi and Hafez. Price to Purchase: $15,000

“Metaphor is the language of our unconscious. It is a suspension of the conscious mind that releases our subconscious imagery, a coded way of understanding the world.”

Eric McCueAlways Greener
Steel
Colorado Springs, CO
Originally a painter focused on abstract works, Eric McCue’s transition to metalwork allows for the incorporation of organic and inorganic shapes, forms, colors and lines into each piece. Always Greener offers a whimsical nod to parks, offering viewers the chance to surround themselves with life-size blades of grass. Price to Purchase: $10,000

“I prefer large-scale sculptures so my viewer can interact with them in a raw, physical manner and become part of the sculpture, viewing it from all angles.”

David W. MernitzMousetrap XL
Wood
Westcliffe, CO
David Mernitz describes himself as a “lifelong worker in wood”, and has a history crafting handmade furniture. His sculptural pieces focus on larger-than-life interpretations of everyday objects, such as this common mousetrap. Price to Purchase: $2,800

“I’m intrigued by the flexibility and versatility of wood as an art medium. The textures, colors, and techniques available to the wood artisan make wood art limited only by the imagination of the artist.”

Sean Mueller and Jarod CharzewskiTires and Spokes
Steel and recycled bicycle parts
Charleston, SC
A kinetic piece featuring recycled tires arranged on a bicycle fork, Tires and Spokes finds a new use for salvaged bicycle parts. The tires form a satellite, or diamond shape, and can be spun by hand, allowing a view through the kaleidoscope of spokes and reflectors. Price to Purchase: $1,200

“The bicycle is an integral part of daily life in countless communities around the world. The bicycle can be an extension of one’s personality and carries with it a sense of pride for the owner. We’re inspired by this in our work.”

William MuellerWhat’s for Dinner
Steel
Sedalia, CO
White sculptural forms float above an abstracted stainless steel “table” in this work, with a design intended to create the illusion of energy and movement. William Mueller works in metal, folding steel plate into shapes and surfaces which produce constantly changing patterns of shadow and light. Price to Purchase: $28,000

“My works express motion and transition through folded or layered sculptural forms which create a spatially complex visual experience.”

Jacob NovingerToro!
Steel
Gooding, ID
The bright red abstract form of this Toro! bull was inspired by a 1945 lithograph by Pablo Picasso. Made of powder-coated steel by direct metal sculptor Jacob Novinger, the piece is forged, hammered by hand and then welded together. Price to Purchase: $25,000

Keith RobertsFalling Up
Steel
Colorado Springs, CO
Topping out at nearly 17’ high, Falling Up is Keith Roberts’ first venture into large-scale sculpture. With its “crystal on crystal” structure and gold color, the piece is inspired by iron pyrite (know as Fool’s Gold), and intended to remind us of the role of mining in our regional history. Price to Purchase: $44,500
Manufactured locally by Bo Steel.

“My intention from the start was to make the sculpture visually provocative. The viewer is compelled to walk around it, as it looks different from every side. It looks like it is falling upward.”